Phil Garner, MLB All-Star, World Series manager, Tennessee baseball great, dies at 76

Phil Garner, MLB All-Star, World Series manager, Tennessee baseball great, dies at 76

Phil Garner, who played 16 years in Major League Baseball and later became a successful manager, died on April 11. He was 76.

Garner was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in February 2024 and underwent radiation and chemotherapy for more than two years.

"Phil Garner passed away peacefully last night, April 11, surrounded by family and love after a two-plus-year battle with pancreatic cancer," his family said in a statement. "Phil never lost his signature spark of life he was so well known for or his love for baseball which was with him until the end. Special thanks to the Houston Medical Center, MD Anderson, Baylor St. Lukes and all the Doctors and Nurses for their excellent care and support."

The 5-foot-10 Garner earned the nickname "Scrap Iron" because of his hard-nosed play as a second baseman.

Garner was born in Jefferson City and raised in Rutledge, Tennessee, and moved to Knoxville after for his final two years of high school at Bearden. He earned a scholarship at Tennessee and became one of the best players ever for the Vols.

He played for the Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. He later became the manager of Astros, Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers.

Garner spent majority of his career with Houston. During the 1982 season, he hit 13 home runs, had a career-high 83 RBIs, and batted .274.

The MLB champion hit a milestone on June 14, 1986. He hit his 100th career home run in an epic grand slam that led to a 7-3 victory against the Giants.

Garner was a two-time SEC Player of the Year at Tennessee and led the NCAA in home runs with 12 in 1969. He was named an All-American in 1970.

Garner was selected in the eighth round of the 1970 MLB draft by the Montreal Expos, but he did not sign.

He was selected again during the 1971 MLB Draft in January, this time in the first round as the No. 2 overall pick by the Athletics.

Three years after his MLB debut, Garner's career took with 145 hits, 74 RBIs, 71 strikeouts and a .261 batting average during the 1976 season.

Garner was traded to Pittsburgh in 1977. He had 44 home runs, 280 RBIs, 2,391 at bats, a .265 batting average with the Pirates, who won the 1979 World Series.

Garner led the league in assists with 499 and double plays with 116 during the 1980 season. He was selected on the National League All-Star team in 1980 and 1981.

He played six years with the Astros, one season for the Dodgers in 1987 and finished his career with the Giants in 1988.

Garner finished his career with 1,594 hits, 6,136 at bats, 738 RBIs, 109 home runs and a .260 batting average.

He stuck to his MLB roots and became the first base coach for the Astros starting in 1989. He then managed three teams over a decade.

Garner got his first job as a manager with the Brewers in 1992, guiding them to a 92-70 record. He was with the Brewers until 1999.

In 2000, he became the Tigers manager for two seasons.

Garner returned to Houston, becoming the Astros manager in 2004, finishing the season with a 92-70 record and second in the NL Central. The Astros also made its first ever World Series appearance in 2005 under Garner.

Garner graduated from UT in 1973 with a degree in Business Administration.

Tennessee retired his No. 18 jersey in February 2009. He was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

Garner rejoined the Athletics as a special advisor in 2011.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Phil Garner, MLB All-Star, World Series manager, Tennessee great, dies at 76